Auxiliary propeller for airships and housing therefor



March 9, 1948. a M. GLIWA 2,437,353

AUXILIARY PROP ELLER FOR AIRSHIPS AND HOUSING THEREFOR Filed June 10, 1946 IN VENTOR.

Patented Mar. 9, l948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUXILIARY PROPELLER FOR AIRSHIPS AND HOUSING THEREFOR Michael Gliwa, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 10, 1946, Serial No. 675,606

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to auxiliary propellers for airships, and has for its main object the provision of a propeller set below the floor of an airship, to be employed either in emergencies or as additional means for lifting the airship in an upright direction.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a suitable housing within which the propeller of the type aforesaid may be enclosed when not employed, in order that the propeller may not constitute a drag which otherwise it would if exposed.

With the above general objects in view and others that will appear as the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views;

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on a transverse plane through an airship, showing the auxiliary propeller in an inoperative position, and enclosed within a housing, the view having been taken on line ll of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is an elevational bottom view of an airship with a housing enclosing the auxiliary propeller in a closed position; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the housing when closed.

Referring in detail to the present drawing there is shown therein fuselage IU of an airship including floor ll thereof.

Extending transversely through floor I l is shaft 12, at the lower end of which propeller I3 is rigidly ailixed. Said shaft I2 may be connected by any known suitable means either to'the main engine of an airship or to an auxiliary engine which may be specially set up and used for rotating said shaft l2. Said means may be either shafts and gears or sprocket chains and sprocket wheels. No showing of means for rotating shaft i2 is made because the same does not constitute the subject-matter of this application.

When propeller I 3 is not in use, the same is brought into a, longitudinal relation with the airship, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, by manipulating shaft l2 within the airship, and then the housing, presently described, is brought into an operative position for enclosing the propeller so that the same may not constitute a drag when exposed to the air during flight of the a 2 airship. Said housing includes a pair'of spaced, substantially elliptical hoods l4, which are attached in any suitable manner to the bottom of fioor H, and which are stationary.

Interposed between said hoods I4 is a plurality of oblong panels l5, three of which are set on each side of shaft I2. Panels adjacent floor it are hinged to the floor by hinges It. The remaining two panels I5, on each side of shaft l2 are connected to each other as well as to the first named panels by means of hinges I 1. When said panels [5 are closed as shown in Fig. 1, the same substantially assume a semi-annular formation, substantially corresponding to the formation of the inner ends of hoods l4 with which they form substantially smooth surface, devoid of resistance to the air.

For closing said panels l5 and for maintaining the same' closed, cords it are attached, at points l9 to the pair of innermost panels l5, by means of which all of panels l5 are shifted to the closed position, best shown in Fig. 1. Connecting points IQ for cords [8 are at the extreme terminations of said innermost panels l5, and past the ends of propeller l3 so that said cords 18 may not interfere with the propeller when the same remains in longitudinal position shown in Fig. 1, and enclosed within the housing. No means for drawing cords I8 is shown because any suitable,

known means'may be provided, such as Windlass for winding cords l8 when the housing is to be closed, or unwinding the same when panels [5 are about in the process of opening.

For opening said panels I5 and bringing thesame into a flat, planar position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, cords 20 are provided. Said cords 2%! connect outwardly with the innermost panels and substantially centrally thereof, at points 2|. Said cords 20 are drawn over pulleys 22, which are supported upon brackets 23, the latter aifixed outwardly to the side walls of fuselage l0, and adjacent floor ll. Cords 20 pass into fuselage l0 through the side walls thereof.

When said cords 20 are drawn into the fuselage, upon first releasing cords l8, the former will draw said panels I 5 into their open, flat position, shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. Means for operating cords 20 is not shown because the same may be of any suitable construction, well known in the art, such as Windlass, drums, etc.

It is observed however that when cords 20 are drawn to shift panels l5 into their open position, simultaneously cords l8 are released, and conversely when cords l8 are drawn in orderto close panels 15, cords 20 are simultaneously released.

When occasion to use propeller I3 arises such as emergency for the purpose of sustaining an air ship, or as an auxiilary means for adding additional lifting power thereto, panels l5 are open into their inoperative position illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. VJhen this is done propeller may then be caused. to rotate without interference from said panels i5. Upon having used propellers E3, the same is brought, by any suitable means, into a longitudinal relation with the housing and thereupon panels i5 are closed by drawing cords it, for enclosing within panels it propeller is.

The perimeters of hoods Hi substantially correspond to the perimeter of panels i5 when closed, while the outer ends of said hoods H3 are gradually tapering, presenting smoothsurface with the minimum degree of resistance to air.

While there is described herein preferred bodiments of the present invention, it is neverthelessto be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is: 1. In an airship having an auxiliary propeller disposed below the floor of the fuselage thereof,

a housing for said propeller comprising a pair of spaced, stationary hoods, said propeller being disposed between said hoods, a pair of series of panels, the innermost panel in each series being hingedly connected to the floor of the fuselage, the panels in each series being hingedly connected to each other, all of said panels being disposed between said hoods in a longitudinal. relation, means for drawing said panels in each series into a planar mutual relation coextensive with the floor of the fuselage for freeing said propeller, and means for drawing said panels in a closed enveloping position around the propeller.

2. In an airship having an auxiliary propeller disposed below the floor of the fuselage thereof, a housing for said propeller comprising a pair of spaced, stationary hoods, said propeller being disposed between said hoods, the space defined by said hoods being of a substantially rectangular formation for positioning said propeller longitudinally of said space when said propeller remains inoperative, a pair of series of panels, each series thereof being disposed laterally of the propeller when the same remains in said longitudinal position, the innermost panel in each series being hingedly connected to the floor of the fuselage, all panels in each series being hingedly connected to each other, all of said panels being disposed between said hoods in a longitudinal relation, means for drawing said panels. of each series into an enveloping position around the propeller when the same remains in said longitudinal position, and means for drawing said panels in each series into a planar mutual relation and out of the path of said propeller.

3. In an airship having an auxiliary propeller Idisposedbelow the floor of the fuselage thereof,

a housing for said propeller comprising a pair of spaced, stationary hoods, said propeller being disposed between said hoods, the space defined b y'said hoods being of a substantially rectangular formation for positioning said propeller longitudinally of said space when said; propeller remains inoperative, apair of series of panels, each series thereof being disposed laterally of the. propeller when the same remains in said longitudinal position, the innermost panel in each series being hingedly connected to the floor of the fuse-' lage, all panels in each series being. hingedly connected to each. other, all of said panels being. disposed between saidhoods in a longitudinal relation, means for drawingsaid panels of each series into an enveloping position around the propeller when the same remains in said longitudinal position, and means for drawing said panels in. each series into a planar mutual relation and out of thepath of said propellenboth of said means including cords attached to the outermost panel in each series.

MICHAEL GLI'WA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 311,885: Falconnet Feb; 10, 1885 1,892,949 Holmes v J an. 3, I933 

